The Warrior & the Witch

Chapter 2

Walking through the dining pavilion, I sit down at the Hecate table tired from my battle with Clarisse. Clarisse watched as you headed towards the Hecate table and sat down, a sense of satisfaction coursing through her as she saw your tired expression.

She smirked and took a seat at her own table, the Ares table. From there she could see you sitting with the Hecate kids, and her gaze lingered on you for a moment before she turned her attention to her own meal. I smirk to myself as I catch Clarisse glancing over at me. She thought she was sneaky but she really wasn't. I pretended not to notice so nobody else would get suspicious and I began to eat my food and talk to my siblings. Clarisse huffed silently when she realized you hadn't noticed her gaze, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face.

She quickly composed herself and focused on her own food, trying to act indifferent. But she couldn't help but glance over at you every now and then, watching you interact with your siblings.

Her prideful demeanor was still in place, but there was a certain softness in her eyes as she observed you chatting with your siblings. My eye catches sight of her and I smirk to myself. Happy I caught her attention and happy I had the ability to create this tension. Clarisse was caught off guard as your eye met hers, a small flash of surprise crossing her face before her usual prideful expression returned.

She held your gaze for a moment, her dark eyes locked with yours. She knew she had been caught, but she wasn't going to give you the satisfaction of admitting it. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and shot you a smug look, her expression saying "so what if I was staring?"I narrow my eyes at her and send her a warning look reminding her of the people around us. Clarisse bristled at your warning look, her competitiveness flaring.

She rolled her eyes and glanced around the dining pavilion, realizing that people were still nearby. It wasn't the time or place for their usual banter and teasing.

Reluctantly, she nodded back, acknowledging your warning. She couldn't risk drawing attention to their little game, not while everyone was around. I sigh feeling bad but I knew it was the right thing to do. Besides it wasn't as if they couldn't talk to each-other they just couldn't do couple things in public. Despite the disappointment of having to limit their interactions, Clarisse knew she couldn't argue with the logic. They had to be discreet, especially in front of other people.

She continued to eat her meal, her mind racing with thoughts. Part of her was annoyed that they had to keep their relationship a secret, but another part of her secretly enjoyed the excitement of sneaking around.

Every time they managed to have a moment alone, it felt thrilling and forbidden. I sighed glancing over at the Ares table every few minutes. I tried to focus on my meal but I couldn't. Hopefully I'd get a quest or something soon, those were always a good distraction. Clarisse could feel your gaze flickering over to the Ares table, and she secretly savored the fact that she had your attention.

She tried her best to concentrate on her own food, but she was equally distracted. Every time her eyes darted over to your table, she found herself stealing glances at you, admiring your features even from a distance.

Meanwhile, she couldn't help but wonder if a quest would come soon. The idea of a new adventure or mission sounded appealing, especially if it meant more time with you. Unknown to myself Clarisse and I were sharing some of the same thoughts. Maybe just maybe the fates would pity us and send us on a cool quest together. Both of you were lost in your own thoughts, each secretly hoping the same thing.

The idea of going on a quest together was like a dream come true. Sharing a quest with each other would mean more time spent alone, away from the rest of camp and all the prying eyes. It would be like living in their own little world, even if only for a while.